BEREA, Ohio — The New York Jets named former Browns general manager Phil Savage as their interim general manager on Tuesday after firing Joe Douglas.
“Today I informed Joe Douglas he will no longer serve as the General Manager of the New York Jets,” owner Woody Johnson said in a statement posted on the Jets X account. “I want to thank Joe for his commitment to the Jets over the last six years and wish him and his family the best moving forward. Phil Savage will be the Interim General Manager for the remainder of the season. We will begin the process to identify a new General Manager immediately.”
Savage has been a senior football advisor for the Jets since 2019.
He started his NFL career with the Browns on the coaching side in 1991 and transitioned to scouting in 1994. He remained with the organization during its move to Baltimore through 2004 until he returned to Cleveland as the Browns general manager in 2005.
Savage spent four years as Browns GM alongside head coach Romeo Crennel, which included a 10-6 season in 2007, the Browns’ last winning season until 2020.
His most notable draft pick came in 2007 season, when he selected left tackle Joe Thomas with the No. 3 overall pick. Thomas became one of the best left tackles in NFL history and played 10,363 consecutive snaps, finally succumbing to injury in 2017. He was a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer in 2023.
Other notable picks by Savage included wide receiver Braylon Edwards at No. 3 overall in 2005 and linebacker D’Qwell Jackson in 2006.
He also signed Joshua Cribbs as an undrafted free agent.
Like every other Browns GM since the team returned, Savage could never solve the quarterback position. He drafted Charlie Frye in the third round in 2005 and traded back into the first round for a falling Brady Quinn in 2007. Ultimately it was Derek Anderson, who Savage claimed off waivers from his former team, the Ravens, in 2005, who had the most success during his tenure.
Savage made headlines in 2008 when he sent a profane response to a fan shortly after a Monday night win over the Bills, ending an email exchange by writing, “Go root for Buffalo. F— you.”
Before returning to the NFL, Savage worked as the Reese’s Senior Bowl as executive director from 2012 until 2018.
He also worked in the Alliance of American Football and held multiple media roles.
Douglas was named Jets GM in 2019 and did not have a winning record. This year, the Jets are one of the league’s most disappointing teams, with a 3-8 record. They fired head coach Robert Saleh on October 8.
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